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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bulb · chair · mine · arm · roll · bay · pop · board

  1. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. bulb — for light
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. pop — to visit
  8. board — a committee
  9. mine — for digging
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. roll — a list
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. pop — soda
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. roll — a cake
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. board — to get on
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. chair — a leader
  23. bulb — for light
  24. bay — a part of the sea

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com